Broadband sub 6GHz massive MIMO antennas for electronic device

Abstract

Antennas and MIMO antenna systems in a housing of an electronic device are described. Each of the antennas includes a first RF radiating member having a first frequency range and a second RF radiating member having a second frequency range. The first frequency range is 4-5 GHz and the second frequency range is 3-4 GHz, and each antenna has an operating frequency range of at least 3-5 GHz. A plurality of the antennas may be arranged in a housing of an electronic device to form MIMO antenna systems.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna array comprising:
 a plurality of antenna pairs for transmitting RF signals from a transmitter of an electronic device and for receiving external RF signals, each antenna pair including a first antenna and a second antenna; 
 the first antenna including a first radiating member and a second radiating member that are disposed on two planes orthogonal with respect to each other, wherein the first radiating member and the second radiating member are configured to be placed on two respective orthogonal surfaces of a supporting member of the electronic device; 
 the second antenna including a third radiating member and a fourth radiating member that are disposed on two planes orthogonal with respect to each other, wherein the third radiating member and the fourth radiating member are configured to be placed on the two respective orthogonal surfaces of the supporting member, 
 
       wherein the first antenna has a physical configuration different from that of the second antenna, and the first antenna and second antenna are configured to operate in an identical frequency range, and
 the plurality of antenna pairs are arranged symmetrically both with respect to a longitudinal central axis and a latitudinal central axis of a housing of the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       2. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1 , wherein the identical frequency range includes, for each of the antennas, a first frequency range and a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is 4-5 GHz and the second frequency range is 3-4 GHz. 
     
     
       3. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has four corners and the MIMO array includes four of the antenna pairs, each antenna pair being located at a respective corner of the housing. 
     
     
       4. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 3  wherein the first antenna and second antenna in each antenna pair are arranged at the respective corners so that any RF mutual coupling therebetween will not exceed a maximum threshold of −10 dB from 3 GHz to 5 GHz. 
     
     
       5. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 4  wherein the antenna pairs are arranged so that the Rx-Rx Envelope Correlation Coefficient between the antenna pairs is below 0.1 from 3 GHz to 5 GHz. 
     
     
       6. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein, for each first antenna, the first radiating member and the second radiating member are substantially planar and rectangular, a first end of the first radiating member being connected to a side edge of the second radiating member. 
     
     
       7. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 6  wherein a major axis of the first radiating member extends in a direction that is perpendicular to a major axis of the second radiating member. 
     
     
       8. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein for each second antenna the third radiating member and the fourth radiating member are substantially planar and rectangular, a side edge of the third radiating member being connected to a side edge of the fourth radiating member by a connecting member. 
     
     
       9. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 8  wherein the third radiating member includes a slot, a first resonating body, and a second resonating body, wherein the first resonating body and the second resonating body are separated by the slot, the first resonating body being connected through the connecting member and the fourth radiating member to an RF feed point, the second resonating body being connected to a grounding element. 
     
     
       10. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein the second antenna is configured to operate in a 2.4 GHz and 5.8 Ghz frequency band in addition to the identical frequency range. 
     
     
       11. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein the MIMO antenna array is included in the electronic device, the electronic device further comprising a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit, the plurality of antennas connected to the RF communication circuit. 
     
     
       12. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 11  wherein the electronic device is a handheld device having a display screen. 
     
     
       13. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 11  wherein the electronic device has a battery. 
     
     
       14. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein the first radiating member and the second radiating member function as monopole antennas. 
     
     
       15. The MIMO antenna array of  claim 1  wherein the third radiating member functions as a Planar Inverted F (PIFA) antenna, and the fourth radiating member functions as a monopole antenna.